Just a Little Kiss
by punkish furball
Summary: A man-sized turtle who knows ninjutsu and beats up gang members? Actually, he's not the weirdest thing Kagome's ever seen, but, for now, he's the most interesting one in this city. InuYasha/TMNT (2012) xover. XD
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer for this story:**__ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is property of Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird (the 2012 series made by Viacom) and InuYasha is property of Rumiko Takahashi. All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author, punkish furball. The author, punkish furball, is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. The author, punkish furball, makes no profit from this fanfiction. No copyright infringement is intended._

punkish furball – Hello, all! X3

**Words to Ponder:**

So, after a friend of mine got me into the 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, this little idea's been floating around in my head for the past few days. For now, it's just a one-shot, but I could make it a longer piece if you guys like it. XD

**Chapter 1**

"Kagome-chan, come down here please."

"Coming!"

Kagome put down the cardboard box she was holding and walked downstairs to her uncle's noodle shop. Only months ago did she end her travels in the Feudal Era and return to her time for good. Despite returning victorious, it didn't take long for Kagome and her family to realize her readjustment to normal life wasn't going well. She continually struggled interacting with others and attempting in her schoolwork, leading to disastrous results.

'I didn't even expect to pass middle school,' she thought with a snort.

After Kagome failed her high school entrance exams, her uncle Murakami, a gentle old man who lived in New York City, agreed to take her into his Manhattan home where he owned and operated a Japanese style noodle shop. And, despite her poor transcript, she managed to transfer to Roosevelt High, a public school in the area. After packing her bags, Kagome flew to the United States to start a new chapter in her life with her family's blessing. As for Kagome, she decided to try as hard as she could and not become a burden to her kind uncle.

"Yes, Oji-chan?" Kagome said once she was downstairs.

Murakami was behind the bar, holding up a dumpling with a pair of chopsticks, one of the many packed away in a takeout container.

"Try this," he instructed.

Kagome gingerly took the dumpling and lifted it to her nostrils. She wrinkled her nose at its odor; it didn't smell like any dumpling she ever tried before.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Pizza _gyoza_," Murakami answered with a smile.

Kagome immediately dropped the dumpling in the box with the others. "I think I'll pass."

"Why did you make so many?" she questioned.

"It's a pickup order for the Turtles," he explained, "They're regulars at the shop."

"Really?" Kagome commented and took a glance at the clock. It was almost closing time.

"How about I clean up for the night and make sure they get their order while you go up to bed?" she suggested.

"Nonsense. You've just moved in. Besides, this blind man has made do long before you got here," Murakami protested.

Kagome smiled. "I know, but I do have to earn my keep around here. I might as well get an early start."

"Very well," he acquiesced, "Don't stay up too late, Kagome-chan. You start school next week and still have many things to do before you are ready to attend."

Kagome rolled her eyes and mouthed "Great". Then, without warning, an open palm hit the back of her head. She cringed and lifted her hand to inspect the injury.

"I may not be able to see them, but there will be no rude gestures in this shop, young lady," Murakami stated.

"Right," she sheepishly replied, "_Gomen ne_, Oji-chan."

Murakami nodded once before heading to the stairs. "_Oyasuminasai_, Kagome-chan. Rest well."

"_Oyasumi_, Oji-chan."

When Murakami disappeared upstairs, Kagome packed away the box of pizza _gyoza_ in a paper bag. She cringed when she got another whiff of it.

"The Turtles sure have unique tastes whoever they are," she said to herself before she rolled up her sleeves and set to work. Kagome began to sweep the floors, stopping when she heard someone entered the shop.

"Sorry I'm late, Murakami-san," she began until she spotted Kagome.

"Oh, hello. I didn't know Murakami-san was out."

"_Irasshaimase_!" Kagome greeted her with a smile, leaning the broom against the wall, "Murakami-san is my uncle, and I'm closing up the shop for him. I take it you're one of the 'Turtles'?"

Whether she was or wasn't, the girl certainly was a rare find in this city. Kagome could sense the red-haired girl had undeveloped, residual spiritual powers. She wasn't as powerful as any priestess or monk Kagome encountered in her homeland, but, with a little training, she could become a formidable combatant.

"Yeah," she answered with a shrug, "Sort of. My name's April O'Neil."

"I'm Higurashi Kagome," Kagome replied as she walked behind the counter, "And may I just say as politely as possible that pizza _gyoza_ is one of the grossest things I've ever heard of."

April laughed as she received the bag of takeout. "They're much better than you'd think. So what brings you to town? Sightseeing?"

"More like new place, fresh start," Kagome answered and playfully added, "But all of the dark alleys and graffiti are fascinating."

"Yeah. They really are the highlights of the city," April replied, grinning, "Well, I should get going. Nice meeting you."

"Same here," Kagome said with a wave, "Enjoy your _gyoza_ and come see us again!"

"I will. Goodnight."

Once April was gone, Kagome continued cleaning the floors, wiping up the counters, and washing the dishes until all of the nighttime chores were completed.

'That was a lot, but I'm still not tired.' Kagome thoughtfully pursed her lips together. 'I think I'll go for a quick jog.'

She went back to her room and changed into a pair of black yoga pants with a matching tank top. Before leaving, she grabbed a small _tanto _and strapped it to her hip just in case.

'Oji-chan did say this is a pretty tough neighborhood. Hopefully, he can forgive me for going out this late if I'm prepared to defend myself!'

It wasn't much, but, during the same time she was developing her spiritual abilities for combat, Kagome had a few training sessions with Sango and, occasionally, InuYasha. After all, she couldn't turn all of their enemies into dust with a touch or an arrow. Learning the basics of hand-to-hand fighting was enough to keep her protected whenever she was caught off guard.

Quietly, Kagome crept downstairs, exited the noodle shop, and locked the door behind her before jogging in a random direction. The city surroundings weren't the ideal environment for a late night stroll, but it was something to do until she tired herself out. She came to a sudden stop when she heard the sound of shattering glass in the distance.

'Sounds like trouble,' she thought then shrugged, 'It's not like I have anything better to do. I might as well check it out.'

Kagome changed course and jogged a little faster, heading in the direction of the noise.

-O0o0O-

Raphael groaned as he jumped to another unoccupied rooftop. Due to Kraang activity being at an all-time low, Leonardo decided to split the team up for separate patrols. It seemed like a good idea at first, but he quickly got bored. At least if he was with the others he'd have something to keep him occupied.

Before he could continue, he caught sight of the Purple Dragons breaking the windows of an old factory warehouse in a back alley and grinned. The gang members were relatively weak, but it should be slightly entertaining to take them on by himself.

'Alright! I got action!'

Before he could drop down from the building, a girl ran in from the street and confronted the Purple Dragons in his place.

'What the hell?'

As soon as she joined them, she began shouting at the gang members, totally unexpected. Raphael didn't hesitate jumping in to her aid. Leonardo wouldn't approve of him revealing himself to a human, but he couldn't let some random girl interrupt his first real beating of the night.

'Besides, human girls always run and scream the second they see a big green mutant. She'll be out of the way in no time.'

-O0o0O-

Kagome calmly walked toward the trio vandalizing the emptied building who were too engrossed in their illicit activity to notice her approach. Once she was close enough, she cleared her throat to get their attention. Instantaneously, the thugs dropped their weapons and turned to face her, surprised by her presence.

"Who's this broad?" the largest member of the group asked.

Kagome bristled; she didn't know much American slang but decided she didn't like the sound of that term.

"Excuse me! I am not a 'broad'," she told them, "And don't you think it's a little too late to be making so much noise?"

"She don't seem to like ya, Sid," the mustached thug said. He jabbed Sid in the side.

"You should apologize to her."

"Fuck off."

The leanest member of the group stepped forward and smirked. "Hold on, guys. She's pretty cute. I think we can have a real good time once we get to know each other."

Kagome flinched when he and his flunkies stepped forward.

"So how bout it? Wanna hang with us?"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "As if! I can't stand being around halfwits like you for another second!"

"Well then, we'll take care of you another way, you frigid bitch."

Kagome smirked and slipped into a battle stance, ready to defend. "Bring it on."

'It looks like my workout got a little more intense,' she thought as she surveyed the gang, 'The big guy might give me some trouble, but the rest shouldn't be too much of a challenge.'

Before she or the gang members could act, a figure jumped down from the rooftops, armed and ready for battle.

"It's one of the Turtles!" Sid shouted.

'Turtles?' Kagome thought as she relaxed her posture. When she took a good look at the newcomer, her eyes widened.

'He really is a turtle.'

"That's right, and this is my first fight of the night," the large turtle said as he drew a pair of sai strapped to his shell, smirking, "So try to make it interesting."

Kagome stepped back and watched as they fought. She never imagined she would see something as odd as this after she returned from the Feudal Era even though there was nothing demonic about the man-sized turtle. The gang members put forth a decent effort but were no match for the masked turtle assailant and were quickly rendered unconscious on the pavement.

"Alright!" he shouted, victorious, "That's what I'm talking about!"

Kagome couldn't help it. The way he shouted and fist pumped the air was simply too much. She opened her mouth and began to laugh, drawing his attention. He stiffened before turning around to face her, a confused look on his face.

"You're still here?" he asked, "Why didn't you run?"

Kagome shrugged as she composed herself. "Why would I?"

"I don't know. Maybe because that's what human girls are supposed to do."

"Normal ones maybe," she said as she walked over to the one of the men lying on the ground. Tentatively, she tapped him several times with the tip of her foot.

"A bit of overkill, don't you think?" she asked, looking at him over her shoulder.

The turtle scoffed and looked away from her. "What do you know anyway?"

"Admittedly, not much," Kagome said as she withdrew her foot. She turned to face him, putting on her brightest smile.

"My name's Higurashi Kagome. What's yours?"

"As if I'd tell you."

Slightly disheartened, Kagome pouted but smirked when she thought of an idea.

'This'll get a response out of him!'

"Too bad," she cheekily replied, "I'll just have to call you 'Turtle-chan' until you decide to tell me."

"Turtle-chan?" he repeated, growling. He approached her, brandishing his sai.

"What are you gonna do? Beat me up or something?" Kagome asked, quirking an eyebrow and crossing her arms over her chest, "You're not much of a hero, are you?"

He scoffed and put his weapons away. "If you're looking for a hero, you're looking at the wrong turtle. I would have beat the Purple Dragons with or without you getting in my way."

Kagome rolled her eyes. Turtle-chan wasn't the most approachable being she'd ever met, but that never discouraged her from making a new friend before. She was sure he was all bark and no bite. If he really wanted to hurt her, he would have done it by now. And, everything else aside, he was cute.

'The only real tragedy is that he doesn't have any ears!'

"Okay, but you did help me regardless," Kagome replied.

She approached Turtle-chan and stood at his side on the tips of her toes. Using his shell for leverage, she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek. His skin was smooth and pleasantly cool, not what she expected but satisfying to the touch.

"Thanks, hero," she whispered before stepping away from him.

Without another word, Kagome turned and jogged out of the alley. She hid her disappointment when she heard Turtle-chan jump onto a nearby dumpster and leave the way he arrived, not following her like she hoped.

'I guess I'm not good at playing the coy maiden,' she mused, 'I don't know why I thought that would work.'

When she turned in the direction of her uncle's noodle shop, she felt Turtle-chan follow her just out of sight. Kagome smiled and continued jogging without skipping a beat. She wouldn't want her new interest to get suspicious of her before she found out more about him.

-O0o0O-

'This is stupid.'

Nonetheless, Raphael continued to follow the human girl, Kagome, and made sure she didn't see him. He was only confirming she made it home and stayed out of trouble. After all, he did go through all the trouble of saving her.

Raphael stopped when he got a call on his T-phone. After glancing at the screen, he saw Leonardo's image. He halted and answered, still keeping Kagome in his sights.

"What's up?" he stated.

"Hey, Raph," Leonardo replied, "Did you find anything?"

"Nope," Raphael answered without hesitation, "It's been pretty boring."

Leo sighed on the other end. "The others and I aren't having much luck either. We're gonna call it a night. Try not to get into any trouble on the way home, okay, Raph?"

"Yeah," he said before hanging up.

Raphael quickly caught up with Kagome and watched as she stopped in front of Murakami's noodle shop, _Subarashii Tabemono_. Without difficulty, she opened the door and walked inside.

'Does she live there?' he thought in surprise.

He and the others have never seen Kagome before, and Murakami didn't mention her. Raphael waited a few minutes before heading back to the lair, vehemently ignoring the way his cheek began to heat as he thought about her.

-O0o0O-

punkish furball – I hope you enjoyed that, and I recommend watching TMNT (2012)! Until next time, TCB! XD

(revised 08.25.2013)


	2. Chapter 2

punkish furball – Hello, all! X3

**Words to Ponder:**

I honestly didn't expect everyone to like this so much, so I decided to make it longer. I really like TMNT/InuYasha crossovers and hope to see more! XD

Thank you for reviewing: Sin of the Fallen, Lorelei evans, iamPaladin, Junior-Einstein, Tenshi Kagome1312, emeraldmoon14, , TheNotSoNiceLIbrarian, HalfBlackWolfDemon, Krazy Katieness, cherry-888, strawberryMIKO, Speedykitten1643, guest muaha, fallingyuki, krikanalo, leslie2132, BlackFire-Forx, Avainie, kakashixangela, Koizumi Rokai, Otaku Neko Ninja Miko Tenshi, unanimous, JoWashington, inuluvskags1, fascinatedjackrabbit, SilverStar118, RozenMaiden7, Blue-Eyed-Protector, just a reader 09, Insanitys kid, Silversun XD, and Hollydoor! XD

**Chapter 2**

"Argh! Separate patrols again?" Michelangelo protested, wearing a pout, "That's so boring!"

Leonardo sighed before he answered, exasperated, "What do you want us to do? It'll be much easier to find signs of the Kraang if we split up to cover more of the city."

"But Leo!"

"Stop whining," he scolded.

Michelangelo ignored him and turned to Raphael and Donatello.

"I can't be the only one. Raph, Donnie, back me up here," he pleaded.

Raphael smirked and folded his arms over his chest. "I dunno, Mikey. I kinda like the solo thing."

"Yeah," Donatello added, "I'm with Raph and Leo on this one. It's really the only move we can make right now."

"Aww seriously?" Mikey cried.

"Well, this way, we also don't have to put up with any of this." Raphael rudely gestured to the spot where Michelangelo stood.

"Hey!"

"Come on, Mikey. With any luck, we can bring it in early tonight," Leo assured him, hoping to put an end to all of this.

After a few more moments of pouting, Michelangelo relented, sighing dramatically. "Fine."

As the four turtles ascended from the sewers, Raphael hoped he wouldn't run into any interference from a certain human girl. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't forget Kagome's gentle fingers on his shell or her warm lips on his cheek.

'What is wrong with me?' he mentally admonished himself, 'I am not freaking out over some girl like Donnie!'

"Raph, you okay back there?" Donatello turned and asked him.

"Maybe someone's having second thoughts?" Mikey suggested, placing a sly hand on Raph's shoulder.

Raphael growled and grabbed the offending appendage, tightly squeezing it before tossing Mikey over his shoulder with little effort.

"I'll take that as a no," Mikey groaned from his spot on the ground.

"Quit fooling around. We have work to do."

-O0o0O-

Kagome grumbled as she vigorously scrubbed the bathroom tiles on her hands and knees. For a blind man, her uncle was inexplicably observant. By the time she returned to the shop last night, Murakami was waiting in her bedroom. Too guilty to argue—but not enough to tell him what she was up to—Kagome accepted her punishment with as much grace as any teenager could.

When she finished cleaning, Kagome stood to her feet, nearly exhausted and covered in grime.

"Oji-chan, I'm done," she announced as she stepped into the main section of the restaurant. Murakami was behind the bar, having already closed up.

"Is there anything else I need to do?"

Murakami hummed, thoughtfully considering the state of his shop. His cabinets were impeccably cleaned, free of all dust bunnies and cobwebs, and all of their contents arranged according to his exact specifications. All of the counters and tabletops were polished to a lovely, lemon scented shine. His grill was also gleaming with all of the grease traps emptied and cleaned. And every speck of dirt was scoured from the tiles and floorboards of the restaurant, kitchen, and restroom.

"I believe your punishment has been served," he answered, grinning, "Next time, let me know before you leave the shop at night."

"Well, if you put it that way," Kagome cautiously said, "Since I'm no longer punished, do you think I can go for another jog tonight?" She hastily added. "Please, Oji-chan! I promise I'll be careful."

Murakami, still smiling, nodded. "Be back no later than 11 o' clock."

Kagome grinned and threw her arms around his neck. The thought of going out again excited her more than she thought it should.

"Can do! _Arigato_, Oji-chan!"

After pulling away, Kagome ran upstairs to her room, grabbed a pair of running shorts and a fitted T-shirt, and went into the bathroom to quickly wash off and change. When she emerged, she doubled back to her bedroom to grab a wristwatch and check the time before leaving.

'It's 9:23. That gives me about an hour and a half before I have to be back.' As a precaution, Kagome set an alarm on her watch to warn her when her time was short. The last thing she wanted was to get in trouble again.

"I'm leaving!" Kagome called out as she stepped outside the shop. She took off in a random direction, with only a particular person, not a destination, in mind.

'Let's see,' she thought, 'If I were a turtle, where would I be?'

Kagome doubted she'd see Turtle-chan so soon after their first meeting but was still hopeful. Perhaps the disgruntle reptile would be a little friendlier if she showed how serious she was about becoming his friend. He did follow her home, so that had to mean he was at least a little curious about her.

'All I have to do is find him.' Kagome paused and leaned against a stoop. 'But I'll never do it at this rate. The streets aren't the best place to start looking.'

Kagome absently looked up, seeing only brick and concrete obscuring the night sky. In an instant, she grinned and abruptly ran behind the building to its fire escape. She used it to climb as high as she could and hoisted herself on the roof. Of course, Turtle-chan wasn't there, but it was a start. Traveling up here kept him out of sight and gave him a great vantage point of the street for whatever it was he did while he was out.

"Saving girls as an excuse to beat guys to a bloody pulp," Kagome joked, giggling to herself. She walked to the other side of the rooftop and stopped at the edge, warily looking at the gap between this building and the next. Turtle-chan wasn't there either.

"I'll have to try somewhere else," Kagome thought aloud. She looked at her watch; she'd been out about fifteen minutes now. Checking roofs would surely be a tedious, time consuming task.

"I doubt he has to climb up and down each building to get to the next one," she continued with a pout. She looked down at the gap again, noting that the next building wasn't as tall and the distance wasn't that far.

With another idea in mind, Kagome ran to the middle of the rooftop and stopped, crouching. She took a deep breath and determinedly looked at the next rooftop.

"This is either very smart or very stupid."

Kagome broke into a sprint toward the gap and jumped when she reached the ledge, stumbling as she landed on the next one. Panting heavily from the adrenaline rush, she grinned, feeling better than she had in ages.

"That was kinda fun!"

Kagome continued moving forward, picking and choosing which rooftops to jump to. The more she did it, the easier it got to bridge the gaps and stick the landings. For those that were too far or too high, she used the fire escapes.

On her next rooftop, she stopped to take a break, glancing at her watch again.

'It's been over an hour and no sign of him,' Kagome thought with a sigh, 'I should head back and try again tomorrow night.'

Instead of climbing down, Kagome ran toward the next rooftop and jumped as she did many times before. However, her leap fell short, and her feet missed the next building. Reaching out as far as she could, Kagome latched her arms on the ledge before she could fall, gasping when the brick scraped her skin and dug into her nails.

"Dammit!" she uttered. The fall below was about three stories down. Not fatal if she fell properly but definitely painful.

'There's no way Oji-chan will let me go out again if I get hurt,' Kagome thought, feeling her grip loosen.

'That might be the wrong thing to worry about right now.'

Before she lost her grip, a green, three-fingered hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her up. She yelped when she was roughly dropped on the rooftop and landed on her bottom.

"Are you crazy? What the hell were you thinking?"

Kagome shrugged as she stood to her feet. She didn't expect Turtle-chan to come to her rescue again, and, by the look on his face, neither did he.

"I thought I could make it," she answered. She winced as she dusted off her bottom.

"Did you really have to drop me? Since you pulled me up, I would think you didn't want that to happen."

"Did you really have to be an idiot?" he countered. For a minute, he relaxed and crossed his arms over his chest, smirking.

"So what were you doing? Looking for me?"

"Actually I was," Kagome answered, leaning closer to him with a grin.

Turtle-chan scoffed and conspicuously leaned away from her. "Don't tell me you're some wannabe hero?"

"More like a wannabe friend," Kagome suggested hopefully.

"You serious?"

"Of course I am!" The distrustful hint in his tone upset her. "I take it you don't have many human friends, huh, Turtle-chan?"

"Will you stop that?" he growled. Kagome grinned; she preferred him this way.

"I think it's a cute name," she said, "Besides, you won't tell me your real one, so 'Turtle-chan' will suffice until you do."

Turtle-chan's reply, which was sure to sound outraged, was cut short when Kagome's watch alarm when off. She looked at her wrist and winced.

"It's 10:45! I'll never make it back in time!"

Turtle-chan sighed and held out his arms, slowly as though the action was extremely difficult. Kagome blinked curiously at him.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Come on," he said, "I'll take you back to Murakami's."

"Really?" Kagome exclaimed.

"Don't read into it," he told her, "But if you move like you did before, you'll never make it."

"Hey, I'm new at this!"

"Yeah. And you suck."

Despite herself, Kagome grinned and approached Turtle-chan so he could lift her up. He did so with ease, hoisting her in his arms before he took off. Kagome had to admit he was a lot better at traveling like this than she was.

'But he didn't have to rub it in!'

Being held by a turtle was different than what she was used to but still comfortable. His arms were smooth and cool like his cheek but warmer than she expected. The ventral side of his shell was also even excluding the grooves between the plates and a lightning bolt shaped chip on the upper edge.

Curiously, Kagome looked up at his face. Turtle-chan was putting all of his effort to not look down at her if the stiffness in his neck meant anything.

"Hey," Kagome called out, the noodle shop in her sights, "the fire escape is outside my bedroom window. You can drop me off there, okay?"

"Whatever you say."

Turtle-chan landed on the fire escape and hastily let Kagome down, nearly dropping her again. She quickly opened the window and stepped inside her room.

"Thanks for—"

Kagome turned back to the window, but Turtle-chan was already gone. She looked outside, poking her head out the window with her hands on the sill for support. She frowned when she couldn't see him in the darkness.

"Kagome-chan, are you here?"

"_Hai_, Oji-chan. I'm coming!"

Before going downstairs, Kagome took a piece of paper from her desk and scribbled a quick note. She taped it to the outside of the window then left her room, turning off the light.

-O0o0O-

'What's that girl doing now?' Raphael thought. He observed her until she left her room after placing a note on her window, a message obviously meant for him. Once she was gone, he jumped to the window and removed the note.

It read, 'Thanks for tonight. Please meet me tomorrow night at 10 outside the fire escape. Despite what you may think, I do want to be your friend. Kagome.'

Raphael crumbled the note in his fist before leaping away and heading toward the lair. Before finding Kagome, he didn't spot anything suspicious, not even the Purple Dragons, and decided to head in for the night. On his way down the sewer, he ran into Leonardo in the lair just a few paces away from him.

"Hey, Raph," he called out, "I was just gonna call you. Find anything?"

"Nope. Not at all," Raphael answered quickly.

"Then what's that?"

Raphael cringed when he realized he still had the note in his clenched fist. He quickly tossed it in the surrounding water where it began to sink.

"What's what?"

Leo curiously quirked his lips and decided to momentarily dismiss the odd incident.

"Well, we didn't find anything either. Donnie and Mikey are headed back with some pizza."

"Great," Raphael answered quickly. He tentatively pointed to the main living area at one of the couches.

"I'm just gonna go over there then."

"You okay, Raph?" Leonardo couldn't stop himself from asking. His brother was acting way too weird.

"Yeah, just bored like Mikey said," Raphael said as he took a seat.

"You sure?" Leo pressed, sitting next to him, "If something's wrong, you can tell me, ya know."

"Everything's fine, Leo. That was just some trash I picked up on the way in. Nothing important."

"Okay if you say so." Leonardo jokingly added, "You do know dropping it back in the sewer was a bit counterproductive, right?"

"Shut up!"

"What up, bros?" Mikey interjected as he and Donnie walked into the lair carrying several pizza boxes. "We got hot pizza!"

"Come on, Raph," Leonardo said before he stood to join the other two turtles.

"Yeah."

-O0o0O-

punkish furball – Until next time, TCB! :3

(edited 08.26.2013)


	3. Chapter 3

**Words to Ponder:**

Thank you for reviewing: Lorelei evans, emeraldmoon14, HalfBlackWolfDemon, Silversun XD, Sin of the Fallen, Tenshi Kagome1312, kakashixangela, Spastic Freak, Purplediamon, Applejax XD, Speedykitten1643, Koizumi Rokai, iamPaladin, Jayne, TheNotSoNiceLibrarian, Avainie, Hinata E-file, inuluvskags1, Otaku Neko Ninja Miko Tenshi, cherry-888, RozenMaiden7, redangel2463, Jessica, Suzume Batchii Taichi, Guest, georgeisthewin, dark-wolf-howl (2x), and Aura! ＼(^o^)／

All previous chapters have been edited.

And, pardon the shameless plug, but I also updated my Young Justice/InuYasha crossover, _Forgotten Hero_. Please check it out if you have the time. Next on the update list is my Yu-Gi-Oh!/InuYasha crossover, _Fragmented Fate_.

**Chapter 3**

Kagome hummed as she stood behind the counter with her uncle, helping out whenever she was needed. However, with his token system and unmatched efficiency, Murakami hardly need her help. Still, she managed to make herself useful.

"Kagome-chan," Murakami said over his shoulder, "Bring me more _soba_ noodles and some _dashi_ stock from the store room, please?"

"_Hai_, Oji-chan!" she replied, rushing to the back of the shop.

When Kagome returned with the items her uncle requested, she saw April walk away from the counter and take a seat at a booth, having paid for a plate of fresh dumplings.

"Oji-chan, mind if I take a break now?" she asked.

"Go ahead!" he told her, "I've got everything under control."

Hopping over the counter, Kagome walked across the restaurant and approached April's table. She hoped she remembered their brief meeting from the day before or this confrontation was going to be a little more awkward than Kagome liked.

"Hello again," Kagome greeted. April looked up from her plate, grinning when she saw her.

"Oh hey. Have a seat," April replied.

Kagome did, straightening out her apron when she sat down.

"Looks like Murakami-san put you to work, huh?" April commented.

"Yeah, but he doesn't really need my help," Kagome said with a shrug, "It's something to do until I start school next week."

"Really? Which school?"

"Roosevelt High."

"Nice!" April exclaimed, "I go there too."

"Oh cool. Are you a sophomore?" Kagome asked.

"Yeah. You too, right? We might have some classes together then."

"Sounds good."

Kagome was grateful to have a familiar face at her new school. Fortunately for her, she completed the ninth grade in middle school, so she didn't have to enter as a freshman.

'Thank goodness for that,' she thought, relived, 'Being a year older than everyone is enough.'

"So," April began, pushing her plate of _gyoza_ toward Kagome, "Wanna try one?"

Kagome looked at the dumplings warily. "They're not pizza flavored, are they?"

"Come on! They're not that bad. Just give them a chance," April urged her.

"Fine," she relented.

Kagome reached out and picked up a dumpling, taking a small bite off its corner. After that first taste, she quickly put the rest of it in her mouth and grabbed another.

"See? I told you," April said cheekily.

"Okay, you did. Don't rub it in," Kagome replied and popped the second dumpling in her mouth, "How on earth did Oji-chan come up with this flavor? It's probably the oddest combination I can think of."

"Do you remember that order I picked up a few days ago for the Turtles?" April asked, waiting for Kagome to nod before she continued, "It was sorta their idea. Pizza's practically the only thing they eat."

Kagome giggled. "Sounds like my little brother. So who are these guys? Do they go to school with us?"

"Oh no!" April quickly answered, "They're…uh…they're…umm…homeschooled! Yeah, by their father."

"Oh, sounds interesting," Kagome responded.

"Well, would you look at the time? I should get going!" April exclaimed.

"Okay. Want me to pack up your leftovers?" Kagome helpfully suggested.

"No need!"

Kagome's eyes widened as she watched April stuff the three remaining dumplings in her mouth and swallow them with one large gulp.

"I'll see you at school!" April shouted before she left the noodle shop, waving over her shoulder. Kagome slowly returned the gesture, wondering why April was acting so strangely.

'She definitely turned skittish for some reason, and I don't think she was telling the truth about the Turtles either,' Kagome mused, thoughtfully resting her chin in her hand, 'Or, at least, not the complete truth.'

She didn't put much thought into her speculations. After all, this was only her second meeting with April. There would time for them to get to know each other better later.

'At least she's not as obstinate as a certain turtle I know.'

"Kagome-chan," Murakami called out, interrupting her thoughts, "can you come behind the counter, please?"

"Coming!"

-O0o0O-

"Okay, guys," Leonardo announced to his brothers assembled before him, "Since our patrols have been pretty unsuccessful lately, we're taking the night off."

"Alright, Leo!" Michelangelo shouted with glee. He stretched his hand high in the air.

"High three, everybody!"

Raphael rolled his eyes and smacked Michelangelo on the back of the head, causing the younger turtle to fall forward with a yelp.

"So what do we do now?" Donatello asked.

Leo shrugged. "April should be over later. We'll check up on any leads she may have and go on from there."

"So this has nothing to do with that 'Space Heroes' marathon tonight, right?" Raphael asked, a knowing smirk on his face.

Leonardo stiffened. "Of course not."

"Ha-ha!" Mikey exclaimed, "Busted!"

Raphael smirked and plopped down on the couch, grabbing one of his favorite comic books.

"Well, since we're doing our own thing, I'm gonna head to my lab. Call me if you need me," Donatello said before retreating. Michelangelo was right on his heels.

"Sure we will. Especially when your girlfriend shows up!" he sang, teasing.

"She's not my girlfriend!" Donnie shouted, a reddish hue tinting his cheeks. Unfortunately for him, his crush on the human girl was obvious.

Mikey grinned, following him all the way to his lab. Once they were gone, Leo sat down in front of the T.V. and turned in on, instantly engrossed in his favorite show. Raphael rolled his eyes and focused on his comic, knowing it wouldn't keep his attention for long. He'd have to find something else to occupy tonight's free time.

'Well,' he thought absently, 'looks like I'll be free for 10.'

Raphael stiffened and tightened his grip on the pages of his comic, forcing those thoughts from his head. The last thing he wanted to do was go visit her.

-O0o0O-

Kagome sighed when she looked out her bedroom window. Once again, there was no one there. A quick glance at her clock confirmed it was almost her 11 PM curfew, so there'd be no late night strolls to look for her absent acquaintance this evening.

'Who do I think I'm fooling anyway?' she thought, dropping her head onto her desk, 'If he's not here by now, he's not going to show.'

She really hoped Turtle-chan would humor her with a visit after she noticed the note on her window was gone. The only reason she stayed in was in case he decided to show up. As far as she could tell, he wasn't even close to the restaurant.

Kagome groaned and lifted her head, picking up another pizza flavored dumpling from the plate beside her. So far, these seemed to be the only highlight of her day.

'I'll wait up until midnight then turn in.' She absently nibbled on the dumpling before stuffing the rest of it in her mouth.

'Maybe I should take a bath first. I still smell like noodle shop.'

-O0o0O-

Raphael halted just before he reached the _Subarashii Tabemono_ noodle shop. He was over an hour late for the arranged meeting with Kagome, so he hesitated before jumping onto the fire escape. After April arrived, he abandoned his comics in favor for some training. When he got bored with that, he ventured out of the sewers and found himself _en route_ to the noodle shop.

'She's probably not up anyway,' he reasoned, 'I'll stop by, see she's asleep, and leave. No harm, no foul.'

With that plan in mind, Raphael landed on the fire escape outside of Kagome's bedroom. As he expected, she wasn't inside, but the light was on. After a few minutes of debate, he tested the window and found it unlocked.

'That idiot!'

Raphael stepped inside the room and curiously looked around. He wasn't sure what he expected a girl's room to look like, but Kagome's seemed pretty typical. There was a twin sized bed with a light pink comforter against one wall and a dresser with framed pictures on the surface across from it. The only other furniture in the room was a short bookcase, a nightstand beside the bed, and a desk littered with papers and pens. Raphael paused when he spotted a plate of pizza _gyoza_ sitting on Kagome's desk.

"Hmm," he thought aloud, "I think I'll help myself. I did come all the way here."

He reached over and cleared the plate, finishing off the dumplings in a flash. Before he could swallow, Raphael heard the door open. He turned to see Kagome standing in the doorway, wide-eyed and clad in only a towel. Raphael froze in shock, his limbs stiff and mouth still full of dumplings. Kagome was the first to regain her composure and took a tentative step back, grabbing the first thing she touched.

"_Hentai_!" she shouted, throwing her trash can in Raphael's direction.

Coming to his senses, Raphael dodged and turned toward the window.

"Sowwy!" he muttered.

"Excuse me?" Kagome questioned. She calmed down considerably when she realized the turtle wasn't looking at her.

Raphael gulped, swallowing the food in his mouth. Gritting his teeth, he repeated his words.

"Sorry."

Kagome grinned and shifted her weight to the other foot. "For being late, breaking into my room, eating all my _gyoza_, or all three?"

"Hey! You're the one who left the window open, and you're the one who left the dumplings out!" Raphael shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at Kagome's reflection in the window.

"You got me there!" Kagome answered with a chuckle, "Listen, I'm going back to the bathroom to change. Will you be here when I get back?"

"Ah…um—well…?" Raphael stammered, cursing himself for being so flustered. He wasn't sure he could face her just yet.

'It shouldn't be this damn embarrassing! She's just a girl!'

Kagome seemed to sense Raphael's troubled thoughts and spoke.

"Well, if you decide to leave, you're welcome to come back tomorrow if you want. And I'm glad you came by at all."

Kagome grabbed some clothes from her dresser and walked back to the doorway.

"Oh! Before I forget," she said over her shoulder, "There might be more _gyoza_ if you come back, okay?"

With that, she returned to the bathroom and left Raphael alone. When he was sure she was gone, Raphael shuddered and relaxed, letting out a shaky breath. He didn't plan on staying longer.

'Still…'

He felt badly about leaving, worse than he expected. Making a quick decision, Raphael grabbed a piece of paper and a pen from Kagome's desk before he opened the window and left.

-O0o0O-

Kagome sighed when she entered her room and saw it was empty again.

'Then again, I should have expected this. , 'He might not be human, but Turtle-chan is definitely a teenaged boy,' she thought, stifling giggles. Just remembering his face when she walked into her bedroom and caught him red-handed was priceless despite how embarrassed she was.

Kagome stretched before walking to her bookcase, grabbing a manga volume she hadn't finished, and plopping down on her bed. She sat back up when she heard the sound of crumbling paper beneath her bottom. She looked and saw a note folded over on her bedspread.

"No way." Carefully, she opened the note and began to read.

'See ya. Raphael.'

Kagome smiled and repeated the name to herself.

"Raphael. His name is Raphael," she fondly whispered, "I like it."

-O0o0O-

punkish furball – Ha-ha! As embarrassing as that was, at least Kagome finally got what she wanted. Until next time, TCB! ^.^

(edited 08.26.2013)


	4. Chapter 4

punkish furball – Hello, all! (≧∇≦)

**Words to Ponder:**

Thank you for reviewing: Sin of the Fallen, Otaku Neko Ninja Miko Tenshi, Lorelei evans, Spastic Freak, TheNotSoNiceLibrarian, Tenshi Kagome1312, Jayne, Silversun XD, HalfBlackWolfDemon, Guest, Speedykitten1643, inuluvskags1, Guest (2), Dreamspirit47, redangel2463, ChikaneUchiha666, Fanfic Fan, Marik's girl, Guest (3), moon eclipse shadows, Purplediamon, Foxluna, Jessica, Ninja Turtle-cha, update, zzsheilahzz, Lachriel, MyworldMyImagination, Guest (4), otakufairytail, RevieWriter, and RozenMaiden7! XD

So funny story. This is actually the second version of the fourth chapter. I decided the first version I wrote would be better further along in the story, so now it's chapter five. So I essentially wrote two chapters instead of one without intending to. Wish that would happen with other stories. :P

Also, pardon the shameless plug, but I recently updated my Yu-Gi-Oh!/InuYasha crossover, _Fragmented Fate_. Check it out if you have the time! XD

**Chapter 4**

April hummed as she approached her locker and sluggishly turned the dial of her combination lock. She was more tired than usual after spending the night in the sewers with the Turtles. Even Master Splinter scolded her for being out so late on a Sunday night.

'Still, it's not like algebra is going to help us find my dad,' she thought with a huff.

"April O'Neil!"

She sharply turned as soon as her principal addressed her, a stout, unassuming man by the name of Mr. Reginald Thompson. In her surprise, April closed her locker door before withdrawing the books she needed.

"Yes, sir?" she answered.

"As you are in good academic standing, I'd like for you to escort a transfer student in your homeroom class around the school," he told her, leaving no room for argument. Before she could answer, Kagome peeked from behind the large man's back and winked. April grinned in return.

"Yes, sir. I'll do it."

"Very well. This is Kagome Higra—Higay—"

"It's Hee-ger-osh-e, sensei," she corrected him.

"Right," Thompson replied and continued, "You are both excused until the beginning of second period. If you have any questions, come to the front office."

When Thompson left the two girls, the first bell rang and the other students reported to their classrooms, whether they rushed or delayed.

"Nice to see you again, April," Kagome greeted.

"Same here," April replied, "Sorry I've been so scarce." The last time she visited _Subarashii Tabemono_ was after school four days ago.

"It's alright," Kagome assured her. Under her breath, she uttered, "You're not the only one."

"Pardon?"

Realizing her slipup, Kagome sheepishly chuckled. "Oh nothing. It's just another absent acquaintance of mine. We met a few times, but I think he's avoiding me."

April shrugged. "I'm sure he'll come around sooner or later. Let's get going."

After April retrieved the books she needed, the two girls walked down the hallway to Kagome's assigned locker.

"Before we go further, I have to ask," April began when Kagome opened her locker, "Are you really wearing one of your old school uniform?"

Kagome huffed and looked down at her short sleeved, white top and Kelly green skirt. Her middle school uniform went through much more than any other uniform had, but it was always reliable and familiar. That sense of dependability was something she needed.

"Yeah, I wasn't sure what to wear this morning and ended up finding this," she answered, "I'm used to having a regulation uniform for school, and this one's still in good condition."

"I guess that makes sense." April hastily added, "I'm not trying to insult you or anything. Just steer clear of the anime and manga fan club around campus."

Kagome mentally shuddered. The last thing she needed was to become the basis for the Japanese schoolgirl wet dreams of a band of _otakus_.

"Thanks for the tip. I'll consider getting more…conventional clothes for school."

After that exchange, April showed Kagome around campus and went over her class schedule, pointing out all of her classrooms, the cafeteria, the gym, and other essential school locations. By the time they finished, there was still time left in their first hour, so they ended up in the library.

"So what do you think so far?" April asked.

Kagome sighed. "The layout is very confusing, but I suppose I'll have to get used to it. I'm not so sure about classes either."

"I'm sure you'll do fine," she responded, "We're on the same lunch shift, so I'll meet you outside your fourth period class, and we can walk together. As for classes, it looks like we have second period algebra, third period English, and sixth period biology together."

"Sounds good." Kagome nodded and smiled gratefully. "Thanks again, April." When she received no reply, she frowned.

"April?"

April, who sat across from her with her head resting in her hand wearing a dazed expression, jumped in her seat and regained her attention.

"Sorry about that," she sheepishly amended, "Anyway, I'm glad to help. I didn't mean to space out on you."

Kagome giggled. "No problem."

-O0o0O-

April entered the Turtles' lair later than usual. After school ended, she walked with Kagome to the noodle shop and helped her go through her school paperwork and assignments. It was nearly a month into the fall semester, so there was quite a bit of work for her to catch up on. April giggled as she recalled how Kagome repeatedly apologized for taking up her time and promised her an order of dumplings every day for lunch in return. After much thought, she turned down the offer, saying that she was glad to help.

"Hey, guys," she announced as she entered the main living area. All of the Turtles were sprawled out on the couches, excluding Donatello who quickly stood to greet her.

"Hey, April," he said wearing a big smile, "Great to see you."

"Same here, Donnie," she replied as she walked passed him and took a seat between Michelangelo and Leonardo. She remained unaware of the blissfully, happy expression on Donatello's face and pulled out her laptop.

"I have something to show you guys," she said excitedly, "Someone posted some interesting pics to my blog. It's a long shot, but I think they could give us some clues of the Kraang's whereabouts."

"Alright," Leonardo exclaimed, "We'll head out tonight."

"Tonight?" Raphael repeated. He was seated farthest away from the group.

Leo shrugged. "Might as well strike while the iron's hot. Besides, it's not like you have anywhere else to be."

Raphael rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Lame-a-nardo."

He looked away from the others, knowing his expression would give him away if his behavior already didn't. For the past few days, Raphael thought of the girl patiently waiting for him to appear beyond her bedroom window every time 10 PM rolled around. Then, unbidden, those thoughts shifted to her clad in only a thigh length towel, looking up to him with a reddened face and hooded eyes.

With his face a comical mixture of red and green, Raphael hurriedly threw himself into his comic books or training exercises, anything to get Kagome off his mind. When he calmed himself down, it was too late for him to leave the lair unnoticed. He honestly didn't know what was more embarrassing: being kissed by Kagome, seeing her so unclothed, or the possibility of his brothers finding out about her.

At least, he would have a legitimate reason for being absent for tonight.

'Still,' he thought, 'I can't keep hiding from her.'

There was no guarantee Kagome would wait for him to show up much longer, and there was nothing stopping her from going out to look for him as she did before. Raphael snorted. For all he knew, she already did and was cooped up in a hospital room for recovery because of it.

"Alright, April," Leonardo said, breaking Raphael from his thoughts, "We'll check out these labs tonight, and see if we can find anything."

"And what about me?" April pointedly asked.

"Well, I'm sure Master Splinter has a training regimen all worked out for you," he hurriedly answered.

Before April could reply, her cellphone rang. Her eyes widened when she looked at the screen.

"Oh! I have to take this," she said and answered, amiably speaking to the person on the other end of the line as soon as she did. Donnie eagerly watched.

"Jealous?" Michelangelo quipped from his side of the couch.

"Not even!" he protested despite the blush on his face.

When April hung up and put her phone away, Donnie was quick to ask her.

"So who were you talking to? Your aunt or something?"

"No," she answered, "A new friend of mine. I've actually been meaning to tell you guys about her."

With confirmation April was speaking to a girl, Donnie visibly relaxed.

April continued, "She's a transfer student from Japan. Her name's Kagome, and she's Murakami-san's niece."

Soon after she finished, Raphael jerked out of his seat and landed on the floor.

"You okay, Raph?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, fine," he stiffly answered.

"I didn't know Murakami-san had a niece," Donnie commented.

"That's awesome!" Michelangelo shouted, jumping out of his seat and raising his fist into the air, "New human friend time!"

"How do you figure?" Leonardo questioned.

"Duh! She's related to Murakami. That means she's blind too!" he retorted as though that were the most obvious conclusion in the world.

"You idiot! Blindness does not work that way," Donatello scolded.

"Whether she is or she isn't," Leonardo began, "we probably shouldn't be so quick to introduce ourselves to her."

For the first time, Raph agreed with his decision.

"Aww! Why not?" Mikey asked, purposefully whining.

"You remember what happened to Murakami, don't you? He ended up being held hostage by the Foot. We can't put her in danger too," Leo reasoned.

Michelangelo loudly groaned and plopped down on the couch, making an obvious indentation. "Fine!"

After Leonardo's explanation, Raphael felt a sudden pang in the depths of this stomach. The Purple Dragons saw him fight for Kagome and were known to associate with the Foot Clan. If the Foot pressed the street gang for information, his relationship—mind you, he wasn't entirely sure exactly what it was just yet—could be revealed.

'Then again,' he thought, 'I knocked them out pretty good during the fight, so they didn't' see what happened after that. And they're too dim to think it was more than a chance encounter. Kagome's still a secret for now.'

Though his thoughts eased his worries, Raphael knew he had to see Kagome as soon as possible before she did something stupid.

"Well, that's all I wanted to say," April stated, "I better go see Master Splinter."

She closed her laptop and stuffed it in her schoolbag before heading to the training area with Donnie wishing her good luck behind her. When she reached her destination, Master Splinter was sitting with his legs crossed and eyes closed in a state of meditation.

"April," he addressed her without opening his eyes, "you are early."

"Yes," she replied, "I actually had something I wanted to ask you before we started training tonight." Kagome's phone call and the subsequent conversation about her brought the matter to the forefront of April's mind.

The large rat opened his eyes and stood, motioning for April to continue.

"Well, you said that I have high spiritual awareness, right? Does that mean I can see certain things about people?" she questioned, nervously ringing her hands together. She wasn't sure how to bring up this subjected and, so far, she didn't think she sounded too clear.

"Things that you normally couldn't see, I mean."

Splinter nodded. "It appears so. What exactly did you see?"

"A girl who transferred to my class. Her name is Kagome, and she's a new friend of mine."

Splinter thoughtfully hummed. The name "Kagome" brought to mind the old children's song with the same title from his homeland. And that brought to mind more unpleasant thoughts. Throughout his musings, April continued to speak.

"It's not that I think there's anything bad about her. She's totally friendly! It's just that…" April pursed her lips and carefully thought of the right words to say next.

"Sometimes, if I look at her the right way, Kagome looks…kind of…"

"Yes?" Splinter pressed.

"…pink?"

-O0o0O-

punkish furball – Ha-ha! When you think Kagome, think pink! X3 Until next time, TCB! ^.^

(edited 09.22.2013)


	5. Chapter 5

punkish furball – What up, dudes? ^.^

**Words to Ponder:**

Thank you for reviewing: Lorelei evans, Spastic Freak, Shikon Miko Guar, TheNotSoNiceLibrarian, emeraldmoon14, Otaku Neko Ninja Miko Tenshi, Silversun XD, Wicken25, ChikaneUchiha666, Sin of the Fallen, inuluvskags1, RozenMaiden7, Foxluna, Purplediamon, Aryenne, ZzShelianzZ, ShadowStar09, fallingyuki, ShiTsukisan, Speedykitten1643, ButterflyEffect0.4, Applejax XD, SilverontheRose, TMNT Miko, and updatenow (4x), and Lunardragon33! XD

Also, Kagome is going to meet the rest of the Turtles in the next few chapters. I have big plans for that meeting! X3

**Chapter 5**

Kagome lazily looked at the computer monitor, switching between tabs and scrolling down different web pages. She should have been using study hall to catch up on her school work, but, like many of her classmates, she succumbed to the web's alluring call.

'Hmm…' she thought, pursing her lips together as she considered of her next meaningless net search. She grinned as she typed the phrase, 'how to interact with turtles', thinking of Raphael.

That search yielded a page on petting them. Giving into her temptation, she clicked the link.

'Let's see…' she thought, skimming through the list of instructions.

'Before you begin, approach your turtle from the front. If you appear suddenly, it may get frightened.'

Kagome snorted. Her turtle would see her long before she saw him. Then he would fume about being referred to as hers. She giggled and continued reading.

'Gently pet the middle-top of your turtle's head with your finger. Once it trusts you, try to massage its neck.'

Kagome giggled again. 'Somehow, this is beginning to sound very intimate. I can only imagine the look on his face if I ever tried to do that.'

'Also try rubbing soothing circles on its shell. Turtles can feel pressure and pain through their shells just as humans can through their fingernails.'

'Hmm…somehow, this is more intimate than before.' She fought the urge to blush.

Before she could shift the topic of her thoughts, she regarded Raphael's shell, noting it was chipped and battle worn. He'd obviously been in a lot of fights, working hard to develop his ninjutsu.

'Maybe that's the reason he hasn't come to see me,' she thought wistfully, blowing up a stray lock of hair.

"What are you looking at?"

Kagome quickly closed the browser window and turned away from the monitor as though she were caught looking at something inappropriate.

"Nothing!" she squeaked, turning to April with a less than convincing smile.

She grinned. "Sure it was."

"So what are you doing here?" Kagome asked, "I thought you had American history this period."

"I do." April held out her hall pass. "We're checking out books for our research topics."

"Oh, I have that same assignment," she commented. After a few minutes of the redhead standing in front of her shuffling her feet, Kagome asked, "Is there something else you needed, April?"

"Nothing!" she uttered, flustered.

This was the third time April was caught staring at Kagome's…pinkness. Unfortunately, Master Splinter only offered riddles instead of true answers when she asked about it. The only concrete explanation she received was what she saw was possibly Kagome's aura, her true essence—color or clarity aside. The only advice he gave her was not to mention it to Kagome unless she did first, and she agreed. April thought Kagome was a sweet girl, and she didn't want to get her involved with the Kraang or Foot Clan any more than Leonardo and the others did.

"Looks like your class is leaving," Kagome observed, "You better catch up to them."

"Yeah. See you after school?"

"Sure thing."

-O0o0O-

Raphael ended up outside Kagome's window around 10:30 PM. He thought he left early enough, but, after the brief scare Leonardo gave him the other night, he checked for signs of the Foot Clan and the Purple Dragons in the alleyways, covering his tracks along the way. Luckily, he didn't find anything.

Without warning, he pushed the window and opened it with ease, stepping inside Kagome's bedroom. She looked up at him smiling as though already she knew he was there.

"You seriously have to start locking this thing," he said, crossing his arms over his shell.

Kagome shrugged. "I left it open for you, Raphael. You're the one decided to barge in here without knocking." She winked. "You wanted to catch me undressing again, didn't you?"

She grinned as she said his name. It was still a little uncomfortable to say it without an honorific, but she was in America now. English was difficult enough without adding unnecessary suffixes to the mix.

Soon after Kagome spoke, Raphael's face light up like a Christmas tree, making his green face an odd shade of brown.

"I didn't see anything!" he shouted.

"Relax. It's just a joke," she said as she stood to her feet. She grabbed a container from her desk and handed it to him.

"Here's your _gyoza_ as I promised."

Kagome rolled her eyes as Raphael took the box and greedily scarfed the dumplings down.

'Boys and food…'

"Did you come here just to eat?" she asked, skeptical.

"Well, yeah," Raphael answered, swallowing the last dumpling "You got anything better to do?"

Kagome shrugged. "We could go for a walk if you want."

Raph rolled his eyes. "Sure. I love carrying girls all over the city. It's my favorite thing to do."

"Cut the sarcasm," Kagome quipped, "You don't have to carry me. I can jump just as well as you do."

The shape of Raphael's mask shifted as though he were quirking an eyebrow.

"Okay. Maybe I'm not as good as you, but I can still do it," she amended.

He snorted. "Prove it."

Kagome huffed and walked to her window, opening it and climbing onto the fire escape. She continued until she reached the top of the noodle shop. Raphael smirked and quickly joined her. Soon after he did, he jumped to the next building over. When he landed, he turned and looked at Kagome expectantly.

"Well?" he called out to her.

After briefly stretching her legs, Kagome ran toward Raphael and jumped, landing soundly on the rooftop next to him.

"Told you I can do it."

"Not bad. Let's see how long you last."

Kagome smirked. "Bring it on, Turtle-chan."

"You got it," he replied, returning the gesture in spades.

The duo continued traveling throughout the city building by building with Raphael in the lead. For the entire trip, Kagome managed to keep up with him.

'She's better than I thought,' Raph assessed when she landed beside him once more. He looked around and smirked when he picked out their next destination.

'But not that good.'

Breaking into a run, Raphael jumped for the tall skyscraper he chose. After he stuck his landing, he turned to Kagome and waited. She warily looked at the gap between the two buildings then up at him. Raphael flippantly gestured to the spot next to him and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Kagome scowled and flipped him the bird before disappearing from the rooftop. He laughed until she climbed up and joined him.

"Finally reach your limit?" he joked.

"Of course I did. That jump was way too high," she replied, the whine in her tone clear.

"Looks like I won," Raphael said, grinning.

"No way!" Kagome protested with a pout, "You picked this spot on purpose. You knew I couldn't make it!"

"Well, it's not that hard to," Raphael said, "You just gotta work on your strength and your form."

"Huh?" she uttered, confused.

"And you think too much," he added.

"What do you mean?"

"You tense up before you jump. You have to be smooth and fluid. Do it without thinking."

She shrugged. "I guess so."

"Come on. Let me show you," Raphael suggested. Then he added, "If you want."

Kagome nodded earnestly. "Of course I do!"

Raphael was surprised with Kagome's reaction and the way her face lit up when she looked at him but dismissed it. He only offered to help her on a whim, and, once again, she surprised him by keeping up with his instruction even if he wasn't the best or most patient teacher in the world. It was also a lot more fun helping her out than he expected it to be.

When her watch alarm went off, Kagome looked at Raphael with a frown. "Looks like we're out of time, _sensei_. Think you could give me a lift back home?"

"Got it."

Kagome giggled as Raphael scooped her up and held her against him.

"What's up with you?" he asked before he started running.

"Nothing," she replied, "I just think you're a lot nicer than when I first met you. That's all."

Raphael snorted. "Well, you're still plenty weird."

By the time they reached the noodle shop, Raphael pushed open Kagome's window and dropped her on the floor right next to her bed.

"Ow!" she cried, "That hurt!"

"Not so nice, huh?" he jibed.

Kagome grinned from her spot on the floor. "Well, maybe you're not that nice, but at least you're not boring." When she stood, she looked up at Raphael, sheepish.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" she asked.

Raphael stiffened. Leo planned to start another search in the next few days. "I dunno. I might be busy. Doing stuff."

"Stuff, huh?" Kagome repeated with a crooked grin, "Well, I'll leave the window open for you if you decide to come see me. See you later, Raphael." She softly added. "Try to be careful."

Raph rolled his eyes but replied, "Yeah. See ya, Kagome."

-O0o0O-

punkish furball – I hope you enjoyed. Until next time, TCB! ^.^

(edited 10.01.2013)


	6. Chapter 6

punkish furball – What up, dudes? ^.^

**Words to Ponder:**

Thank you for reviewing: RozenMaiden7, Purplediamon, emeraldmoon14, Lorelei evans, Gelasia Kidd, Sin of the Fallen, Spastic Freak, Silversun XD, RebornRose1992, Mikadzuki no Kitsune, HalfBlackWolfDemon, sverhei, Jayne, inuluvskags, Speedykitten1643, ZzSheilahzZ, AnimeAngel240, Foxluna, TicTac, ShiTsukisan, and Aryenne! XD

And, just so you know, I already planned how Kagome is going to meet the other Turtles, and it'll be a doozy! ^.^

Also working on updates for my Black Butler/InuYasha crossover, _Serendipity_, and my Ouran High School Host Club/InuYasha crossover, _Starcrossed Siblings_. Keep an eye for those updates and others!

**Chapter 6**

Kagome grimaced as yet another one of her attempts went up in smoke. Luckily, _Subarashii Tabemono_ closed for the night hours ago, and Murakami was the only one present for her failure. She continued to frown as she disposed of the burnt scraps of food in the trash can. Under her uncle's instruction, she decided to learn how to make the pizza _gyoza _Raphael liked so much. So far, she wasn't having any luck.

For the past several weeks, Raphael sporadically stopped by to see her like he did nights before. However, unlike his previous visits, he only stayed for about ten or fifteen minutes, sometimes less than that. When she asked why, he told her he was preoccupied with the "stuff" he briefly mentioned before. Whatever he did, Kagome deduced from his condition it was time consuming and physically intensive. Despite her insistent probing for more information, Raphael didn't give her any details beyond that. She was worried about him, but, because he appeared well enough and still found the time to see her, she didn't press the issue too much.

"Maybe I should just give up," she said with a tired sigh.

"Nonsense!" Murakami insisted, "The heat was just too high. Try again."

Kagome wryly chuckled. "I think I'll pass. I wasted enough of your inventory for one night."

"I'll just put in on your tab."

"At this rate, I'll have to work here for a hundred years to pay you back," she muttered, blowing up her bangs in frustration.

"Don't exaggerate, Kagome-chan. By my count, you're only up to seventy-three," her uncle corrected with grin.

"Gee, thanks for keeping track."

"Any time," he replied, grinning, "Why don't you go to your room and relax. I'll clean up for the night."

"Are you sure? I can stay and help," she offered.

"Go on up," Murakami insisted, "Perhaps Turtle-chan will come see you tonight."

Kagome comically stiffened, her mouth agape. She assumed her meetings with Raphael were strictly between the two of them.

"You know about him?" she timidly asked.

Murakami tapped his right ear. "The two of you could learn to keep your voices down."

"Sorry," Kagome guiltily amended, "I didn't mean to keep him from you. I just didn't know how you'd react."

Murakami nodded. "I understand, but Turtle-chan and his brothers are friends. I trust them with my life."

"Oh, so you know each other?" Kagome questioned, intrigued.

"He and his brothers have helped me a great deal," Murakami explained, "They have been scarce lately, but I imagine they are quite busy as of late."

"I see," Kagome mumbled as she mentally connected the dots.

'Not only does Raphael already know Oji-chan, he also has brothers,' she mused, 'I guess that makes sense. He very well can't be the only turtle running around New York.'

She pouted. 'I doubt he'll introduce me to them any time soon.'

"Well, I suppose I'm going up to my room for the night. See you in the morning."

Murakami nodded and bid Kagome goodnight as she walked upstairs. When she reached her bedroom, she grinned as she plopped down on her bed.

'I guess I have my work cut out for me!' she thought, 'Just convincing Raphael to talk to me was hard enough.'

Kagome turned to her side and absently looked out her window.

"For now," she softly admitted, "being with Raphael is enough."

-O0o0O-

Raphael groaned when Leonardo pulled the Shellraiser into the lair, concluding tonight's watch. So far, their leads only produced a handful of easily disposable Kraang droids and some interference from the Foot Clan. Neither led to any substantial information.

When he stepped outside the van, a quick glance at the clock confirmed it was after midnight, far too late to pay Kagome a visit. He grunted when there was a sudden, playful blow to the back of his shell.

"Geez, Raph, what's wrong with you?" Michelangelo asked, "You look like someone kicked your cat."

Donatello snorted. "If anything, he's the one who kicked it."

"Seriously though, Mikey's got a point," Leonardo interjected, slinging an arm over Raphael's shoulders, "You've been leaving the lair and spacing out a lot lately. Just where have you been going?"

"None of your business," Raphael said, easily pulling away from Leonardo.

"Maybe he's got a girlfriend?" Michelangelo suggested. Raphael stiffened midstride; it took all of his willpower to refrain from shouting Kagome was absolutely not his girlfriend.

However, before he could say anything, Leonardo, Donatello, and Michelangelo all burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" he asked, narrowing his gaze.

"Come on, Raph?" Leo said in between chuckles, "You and a girl? Liking each other? And hanging out? Together?"

"Any girl with a pulse and half a brain would scream and run as far as she could as soon as she saw you," Donnie said matter-of-factly.

Raphael growled. Kagome happened to like him more than enough, but he wasn't about to tell them that.

"As if you three are any better," he countered, pointing a finger at Leonardo, "You got conned by a kunoichi from the Foot." He shifted to Donatello. "And the only girl you know doesn't even know you exist."

Instantaneously, the laughter from the two turtles ceased, and both looked at Raphael's smug grin with varied looks of anger.

"Ha-ha! Good one, Raph," Mikey cried, "Now do me!"

Raphael smirked. "I can't; every girl in the entire world doesn't know you exist."

"Funny!" Mikey commented, laughing until he realized he was insulted.

"…hey! Not cool, Raph!"

"We were just joking. No need to get so bent out of shape," Leonardo stated, crossing his arms over his shell. He already knew he made a mistake getting involved with Karai and didn't need to be reminded. The incident was already behind him.

"Yeah," Donnie agreed, looking at Raphael with a pout.

"Did you really mean it? Do you really think April doesn't know I exist?" he asked, saddened.

Leonardo pointedly looked at Raphael, silently ordering him to make this right.

Raph groaned and answered, "Of course she does, Donnie."

"Raphael's right," Leo added with a smile. He hesitantly added, "Just keep trying, okay?"

"Besides, if she didn't know you existed, she'd constantly sit on you," Mikey helpfully added in his own strange way.

"Thanks, guys," he said with a grateful grin, "And you too, Mikey."

Raphael stepped away from the group and plopped down on the couch. The prior situation aside, he had a serious problem. If his brothers could tell something—or, more accurately, someone—other than keeping an eye out for the Kraang or Foot Clan was preoccupying his mind, it was only a matter of time before Master Splinter did. He wouldn't be so easy to deter.

-O0oO0-

punkish furball – I hope you've enjoyed this latest installment. There will be more Kagome and Raph action next time. Until then, TCB! ^ω^

(edited 10.15.2013)


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